Masonry is the oldest and Largest Fraternity in the world. Masonic Lodges exist in all except the most totalitarian societies. Masons form friendships across the world, bridging the gulf of language, age, or experience. Their common bond is simple: Masons are community oriented. They see mankind as one family. So, they support many charitable projects. Some focus on local problems, others are global in nature. Food banks, Habitat for Humanity, literacy outreach, and a host of health concerns are among the many activities supported by local Masons. Each Lodge, as an independent entity, selects its own goals for its charitable activity. Masonry would honor God by serving mankind.
Common to all Masonic Lodges are legends and stories that deal with the building of the Temple of Solomon in the city of Jerusalem. Almost all of the ritual work in Masonry is taken directly from the Old and New Testaments. And, because the founders of Masonry took such pride in the soaring majesty of the Medieval cathedrals with which they were intimately connected, the focus of Masonry is really about the imperative each person ought to feel about building his or her own spiritual center, a temple for the worship of God.
Because Masonry was often witness to sectarian strife during its formative years in the 16th, 17th, and 18th Centuries, it has insisted that Masons avoid debates over religious doctrines. While each Mason is required to have a belief in God, defining the content of that faith for another Mason is virtually unthinkable. The awe and honor due the Creator by mere mortals is held to be a matter of individual conscience. A Mason is at peace in the presence of the Holy and attempts to have respect for the feelings of others for what they hold sacred.
If you would like to know more about this Gentle Craft, please contact a Masonic Lodge in your area or the Grand Lodge of Washington at 1-800-628-4732. You may contact also Whitman Lodge with any questions you might have.
Masonry does not solicit members, but if you have decided, of your own free will and accord, that you wish to join in our endeavors, you may download a petition. Do not hesitate to contact us if you are confused or are unsure how to proceed.